Have Alberta’s policies and actions adequately protected and conserved Alberta’s magnificent physical environment?
Speaker: Marlo Raynolds – Executive Director, Pembina Institute
Session summary:
Do we accept the speaker’s assessment of Alberta’s performance in this area? If not, what is our assessment?
- General agreement on overall “D” grade, some disagreement on the grades for the sectors, minority thought slightly higher grade was merited.
Do we agree with the proposed solutions and alternatives? If not, how would we alter them?
- Disagreement about carbon tax, but market based system preferred
- Some are not sold on the science of climate change
- Agree with environmental approvals, more regulatory / incentive based approach needed
- Some solutions already exist but need implementation, encourage energy efficiency and alternative energy
What additional ideas, solutions, and alternatives do we think would improve Alberta’s performance in this area?
- Need more environmental leadership, more environmental education
- Be a steward of the land like farmers and ranchers
- Empowering municipalities to sell power and manage at regional levels (disagreement over this idea)
- Adapt provincial building codes to facilitate energy efficient buildings
- Energy production from solid waste at local / municipal level
- Regionalized power generation, more geothermal and expanded hydro
- Need a good water pricing scheme – not sure how
- Explore nuclear energy option
- Become leader in technology, phase out coal fired plants
- Pollution tax that funds technological development, make sure dollars stay in Alberta, provide incentives for green technologies
- Full cost accounting of pollution
Small Group Discussion response forms:
To be a leader in Environmental Conservation we must not constrained by asking — what needs to be done, or what do we think we should do. We will be a leader in Environmental Conservation when we ask ourselves — what is possible, and then doing it!
I reject any assertion that the possibilities are limited!
I do hope that the Pembina Institute and other environmental lobbyists do not equate CO2 and other so called "green house gases" > H2O, CO, etc., with bone fide pollutants. I worry much about polluted air and water..not CO2 emmissions.